Pennington County

Ecosystem Overview

The Pennington County ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 93 taxonomic genera. Located in Pennington County, South Dakota, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #1 for species diversity among 8 Pennington County County natural areas, placing it in the 88th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 8 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 8 locations

88th percentile for diversity

vs. Rapid City

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Cynomys ludovicianus

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Very Common40 obs.

Bison bison

American bison

Very Common35 obs.

Ovis canadensis

Mountain Sheep; Audubon Bighorn (auduboni)

Very Common29 obs.

Bromus inermis

Smooth brome

Very Common17 obs.

Pseudacris maculata

Boreal Chorus Frog

Very Common16 obs.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Common13 obs.

Antilocapra americana

pronghorn

Common13 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Common11 obs.

Vanessa cardui

painted lady

Common9 obs.

Loxia curvirostra

common crossbill

Common9 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common9 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Occasional9 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Occasional8 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Occasional8 obs.

Asclepias speciosa

showy milkweed

Occasional7 obs.

Sphaeralcea coccinea

red false mallow

Occasional7 obs.

Grindelia squarrosa

Grindelia

Occasional7 obs.

Achillea millefolium

yarrow, milfoil

Rare7 obs.

Daucus carota

wild carrot

Rare7 obs.

Sympetrum semicinctum

Band-Winged Meadowhawk

Rare7 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Pennington County. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+525%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 7 nearby locations in Pennington County County, South Dakota

Nearby Natural Areas

Rapid City

Importance: 0.47

100 species

0% vs. current

Rapid Valley

Importance: 0.36

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pactola Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Wall

Importance: 0.28

3 species

+3233% vs. current

Keystone

Importance: 0.28

4 species

+2400% vs. current

Wasta

Importance: 0.26

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Canyon Lake

in Rapid City

Importance: 0.20

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Pennington County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+525%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 7 nearby locations in Pennington County County, South Dakota

Nearby Natural Areas

Rapid City

Importance: 0.47

100 species

0% vs. current

Rapid Valley

Importance: 0.36

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pactola Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Wall

Importance: 0.28

3 species

+3233% vs. current

Keystone

Importance: 0.28

4 species

+2400% vs. current

Wasta

Importance: 0.26

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Canyon Lake

in Rapid City

Importance: 0.20

1 species

+9900% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 8 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 8 locations

88th percentile for diversity

vs. Rapid City

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Cynomys ludovicianus

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Very Common40 obs.

Bison bison

American bison

Very Common35 obs.

Ovis canadensis

Mountain Sheep; Audubon Bighorn (auduboni)

Very Common29 obs.

Bromus inermis

Smooth brome

Very Common17 obs.

Pseudacris maculata

Boreal Chorus Frog

Very Common16 obs.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Common13 obs.

Antilocapra americana

pronghorn

Common13 obs.

Turdus migratorius

American Robin

Common11 obs.

Vanessa cardui

painted lady

Common9 obs.

Loxia curvirostra

common crossbill

Common9 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Common9 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Occasional9 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Occasional8 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Occasional8 obs.

Asclepias speciosa

showy milkweed

Occasional7 obs.

Sphaeralcea coccinea

red false mallow

Occasional7 obs.

Grindelia squarrosa

Grindelia

Occasional7 obs.

Achillea millefolium

yarrow, milfoil

Rare7 obs.

Daucus carota

wild carrot

Rare7 obs.

Sympetrum semicinctum

Band-Winged Meadowhawk

Rare7 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.